Greens dropped plan for global fundraising campaign: Weaver

The British Columbia Green Party has cancelled plans to use social media to raise money from foreign donors.

"This was an idea that was being discussed," said Andrew Weaver, the Green Party's candidate in the Victoria-area constituency of Oak Bay-Gordon Head. "The idea was put forward, the feedback was 'no, we don't think this is a good idea,' and so it didn't happen."

The Tyee reported in February that the party planned to launch a video campaign over the Internet that was designed to attract foreign funding, particularly from Green Party members in Germany and other countries.

Leader Jane Sterk defended the plan at the time, saying, "It would be great if parties were funded by people who lived within the province, but that hasn't been true for the other parties." The Green Party supports restricting donations from outside the province, but has to compete under the current rules, she said.

Weaver said during a recent interview that the idea was nixed after it was presented to the Green Party's provincial team and representatives of some of the capital region campaigns, including Weaver's.

"I thought we didn't need to," he said of the plan to solicit foreign donations. "I thought why don't we do it for B.C. and I agreed with the provincial team ... Let's not do it global. Let's not do what Christy did. It's legal, we'll accept it, but let's not overtly track it."

BC Liberal leader Christy Clark received criticism in January when her party hosted a fundraising dinner in Alberta.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee's Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Find him on Twitter or reach him here.